The Work of the Spirit
“Andtbfi Spirit of God moY«d apoa the &ee of the L 2.
There is, perhaps, no subject upon which there is greater ignorance than diat of the Spirit of God. Most people, in our day, if they answered truly, would say as those twelve men at Ephesus: We have not so much as heard if there be any Holy Ghost.” — Acts xix. And yet, if ever you are to be saved, you must know him; for it is all his work to bring a poor sinner to Christ. A little boy, when dng.
lud: Three peraons in the Godhead. God the Father ■ade and preserved me; €k)d the Son came into the world and died for me; God the Holj Ghost came into my heart, and made me love God and hate sin.” My dear friends, if joa would die happy, you must be able to bear the same ijrii testimony. You know it is said in John, that God it love.” This is true of God the Father in his giving up his Son for sinners; this is true of Gk)d the Son, in his becoming ■Ml and dying for sinners; this is true of God the Holy r Ghost,inhis whole work in the heart of sinners. Atpresit I wish to show you the love of the Spirit, by observing alt dmt he has ever done for men in the world. To-day I vrill diow you his work at creation< — 4kt the flood — in the wilder*
I. At creation: The Spirit of God moved upon the &ee of the waters.” — Gen. i. 2. The expression is taken from ft dove Inrooding over its nest. “Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth.” — Ps. dv. Here the Spirit is said to have renewed the foce of the earth. He made every blade of grass to spring — every flower to open — every tree to put forth blossoms. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens.^’ — Job xxvi. 13. Here Qod does, as it were, lead us forth to look upon the midnight sky; and when we gaze upon its spangled maze, studded with brilliant stars, he tells us that it was the loving Spirit that gave them all their brightness and their beauty. Observe, then, that whatever betmty there is in the glassy sea, in the green earth, or in the spangled sky, it is all the work of the Holy Spirit. God the Father willed all — God the Son created all — Qod the Holy Ghost garnished, and gave life and loveliness to all. Oh! what a lovely world that unfallen world must have been — when God the Son walked with Adam in Paradise — when God the Holy Ghost watered and renewed the whole every moment — wheoL God the Father looked down well pleased on all, and said that all was very good.
Learn I. The love of the Spirit. He did not think it beneath his care to beautify the dwelling-place of man. He wanted our joy to be full. He did not think it enough that we had a world to live in, but he made the waters full of life and beauty* He made every green thing to spring for 9iaii, and made a shining canopy above, all for the joy of man. Whatever beauty stiii remains on e«ttlip qt
p sea, or sky, it is the trace of his almighty finger. Yon should never look on the heauties of the world without thinking of the Holy Spirit that moved upon the face of the waters — that renewed the face of the earth — that garnished the heavens with stars.
2. The holiness of the Spirit. From the very beginning he was the Holt, Spirit, of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. It was a sinless world. The sea had never be defiled by bearing wicked men upon its bosom. The green earth had never been trodden by the foot of a sinner. The spangled sky had never been looked upon by the eye of one whose eye is full of adultery, and cannot cease from sin. It was a holy, holy, holy world — a temple of the living God — the lofty mountains were the pillars of it; the glittering heavens its canopy. The far-resounding ocean sang his praise. The hills brake forth into singing, and all the trees of the field clapped their hands. As the cloud which so filled Solomon’s temple that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; so the Holy Spirit filled this world — a holy, sinless temple to the Father’s praise. When man fell into sin, and the very ground was cursed for his sake, then the Holy Spirit, in great measure, left his temple; he could not dwell with sin. And never do you find him coming back, as before, till he lighted on the head of a sinless ^viour; for the Holy Ghost descended upon him like a dove, and abode upon him. / Just so is it with the soul. As long as your soul is guilty, polluted, vile, in the sight of the Spirit, he cannot make his abode in your heart. He is a loving Spirit, full of a tender desire to make you holy. But as long as you are guilty in his sight, it is contrary to his nature that he iihould dwell in you. But come to the blood of Jesus, sinner — come to the blood that makes you white as snow — then will the Spirit see no iniquity in you, and he will come and dwell in your heart, as he dwelt at first in the sinless world. As he moved on the face of the waters, like a dove over its nest, so he will make his nest in your heart, and brood there. As he renewed the face of the ground, so will he renew your heart. As he garnished the heavens, so will he beautify your soul, till he make you shine as the stars for ever and ever.
II. At the flood: “My Spirit shall not always we with men, for that he ako is flesh (finding): yet his days be an hundred and twenty years.” — Gen. vi. 3. What Ferent scene we have here! Yet here also we shall learn the Holy Spuit is a loving Spirit. At the creation wed him beautifying the world — dwelling in it as in a ple; the earth, the sea, the sky — all proclaiming that it a sinless world. But now fifteen hundred years had 3d away, and the whole earth was covered with a race pdless men — giants in body and giants in wickedness. God looked upon the earthy and it was corrupt*’ It all one putrid mass. ‘From the sole of the foot le crown of the head there was no soundness in it;” for esh had corrupted his way. Just as a putrid body is Lsome in the sight of man, so the earth was loathsome le sight of God. Nay, more; the earth was filled with nee. The few children of God that remained were 1 and persecuted — hunted like the partridge on the atains. It repented the Lord that he had made man, it grieved him at his heart. How is the Holy Spirit ged? Ans, 1. He does not dwell with sinful men. He ot dwell with impardoned sinners; for he is the Holy t. 2. But still he strives with men, and strives to cry end. The men were giants in sin. Every imagina* of their heart was only evil continually. But this is ‘cry reason he strives. He sees the flood that is coming I sees the hell that is beneath them; therefore does he e. In the preaching of Noah he pleaded with them; ricked their hearts — made them think of their danger,
sin, their misery. In the preparing the ark he
led with them — showed them the way of safety, and
: “Yet there is room.” He made every stroke of the
mer go to their hearts.” The Spirit and the Bride
Come,’’
earn 1. That he is a striving Spirit. 0! let those of that are living in sin, learn what a loving Spirit is now ing with you. Some of you, who are living in sin, k that God is nothing but an angry God; therefore do not turn to him. True, “he is angry with the Led every day;” still he is striving with the wicked every
He sends the Holy Spirit to strive with you. Oh 1
t a loving Spirit he is, that does not at once turn you
hell, but pleads and strives, saying: ‘^ lu ye, turn ye;
will ye die?” ’
)me may say: I am a giant in wickedness — I am cot-^
—^I am violent against God s ’ children. “Tnie; t
8tiU see here how he (GrtzoYe with ffiantimwickedneM^ The whole earth was corrupt, and fified with violence; jet he strore. So he strires with joa in whaterer state yon are. He is a loving ^irit. He strives by ministers — ^Biblesprovidences. Sometimes, when you are all alone, diat Qpiaat wrestles with yon, brings your sin to remembra]ice» and makes you tremUe; or, like the angels at Sodom, stims to make you flee from destruction. Oh! what love is hen to strive with hell-deserving worms. Oh! ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist At Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”
2. A long’suffering Spirit One hundred and twentf years he strove with e men before the flood. He never ceased till the flood came. Some of you remember a time when God’s ^irit was striving vrith you at the Sabbith school, or your first sacrament Tou wept for your soil, and prayed; but the world has come on you since iliea» and now you fear he strives no more» Learn, he is a long-sufifering Spirit — he strives with you yet He dial hau ears, let him hear what the Spirit saith onlo the Churdies.’’
3. He will not always strive. Observe, the Spirit 8fti0ve till the flood came, but no long; for the flood came and carried them all away. So it is with you, my dear ficiends. As kpng as our ministry lasts, he strives with you; hntwhen death comes, or when the Saviour comes, he will strive bo more. Ah! you vrill have no awakening, inviting, strifiitt sermons in hell — not one invitation more. Oh! how sad it is to think that so many, who have the Spirit of God striving with them, should perish after alL
III. In the icildemess. Nearly one thousand years after the flood, we find God choosing a peculiar people to himself, and keeping them separate firom all people, in the wilderness. Here the Spirit shovrs himself iill more as the loving Spirit
1. J%e glorifier of Christ. Bezaleel and Ahdiah, by his groidance, make the tabernacle — the mercy-seat — die altar — the high priest’s garments. — Ezod. xzxL l-l 1. AR these typify Christ The Spirit here enables these mat ts show forth the Saviour to the many diousands of Israel. Although they often vexed the Holv Spirit, and grieved him in the desert, yet, see here how lovingly he sets forth Christ in the midst of them, that he may ld them to peace and
8BEM0N XI. S5
]ioliiM»! This is exactly what Christ said of him afier-WBida: “He shall glorify me; for he shall receive otmoktf and shall show it unto you.”
Dear friends, has the Spirit glorified Christ to you? He is stiil the great re vealer of Christ. He shines into our heart, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, ‘m the face of Christ. Has he led you to the altar — to the Lamb of Crod, that taketh away the sin of the world? Has lie elothed you in the high priest’s garments? Has he hongbt you within the reil — to the mercy seat? This is his delitful work. Oh! it is a sweet work to he the minister on earth that leads souls to Christ — that points, like John, and says: “Behold the Lamb of God.” But 0 bow infinitely more loring in that Holy Spirit of God to lead trembling souls to Jesus! Oh! praise him that has done ibis for you. Oh! love the Spirit of God. ^’Thy Spirit is good: lead me to the land of uprightness.”
2. £[e purifies all that heliwe: “Thou shalt set the larer between the tent of the congregation and the altar.” — Exod. xl. 6, 7. This brazen layer, containing water, was set up in the ^demess to typify the Holy ^irit; and observe the place where it was put — between the altar and the tabernacle of God. The first thing that the sinner came up to waa the altar with the bleeding lamb. He laid his hands i^OQ the head of the lamb, and confessed bis sins; so that they were carried all away in the blood of the lamb. Fornvea .and justified, he advanced a few paces further to the uasen laver; there he waed his feet and hands. This represented the Holy Spirit washing and renewing his heart, and then he entered into the holy place of God.
“Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written fbr our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scripture, might have hope.” Dear friends, has the Holy Spirit purified you? If you have laid your sins upon the Lamb of God, have you come to this laver of living water? — are you really washing there, and preparing to enter into the holy place, made without hands, etemsd in the heavens? “Without holiness no man can see the Lord;” and without the Spirit you will have no holiness. Ohl is he not a loving Spirit who thus delights to prepare the betiever for glory, who comes into our yile heart, and ^’ creates a dean heart, and renews a right spirit within us;” Oh! love him who thus loves you; and ade for him, you that are his children. The Father delights to give him. li e.
8^ 6EBM0N Xt.
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”
3. He upholds the life of believers: “They all drank of that Rock which followed them; and that Rock was Christ.” — 1 Cor. X. 4. This was a third way in which the Spirit showed himself in the wilderness. (1.) -4 river. This was to show Israel how refreshing and supporting he is to the weary soul, and that there is abundance in him. Drink, and drink again — you will not drink a river dry; so there is infinite fulness of the Spirit. (2.) Flowing from a smitten rock. This shows that he is given by a wounded Saviour — that it is only when we hide in that Rock that we can receive the Holy Ghost. “I will send him unto you.** (3. ) It followed them. This was to show that, wherever a believer goes, the Holy Spirit goes with him; “I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” — a well within, springing up into everlasting life.
My dear friends, have you received the Holy Ghost, since you believed? It appears to me that few Christians realize this river flowing after them. Oh! what inexpressible love and grace there is in this work of the Spirit Is there any of you weak and faint, and ready to perish under a wicked heart, and raging lusts? or, have you got a thorn in the flesh — a messenger of Satan to buffet you? and are you driven to pray that it may be taken from you? See here the answer to your prayer. A river of living water flows from Christ. There is enough here for all your wants. “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Some of you are afraid of the future — you fear some approaching temptation — you fear some coming contest. See here the river flows after you — the Spirit will abide with you for ever. Oh! what love is here. Notwithstanding all your sinfulness, and weakness, and unbelief, still he abides with you, and will for ever. He is “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” — John iv. 14.
Oh! love the Spirit, then, who so loves you. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
St Peter’s, Dec. 16, 1838.